Viktor
Well-known member
- Mar 19, 2019
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He re-joined the Vikings in November after the Eagles released him, and mainly played in a special teams/reserve role behind Smith and Anthony Harris.
But the Vikings needed someone to play in the slot against the Saints aerial attack, so Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer tabbed the veteran safety.
“He’s a smart guy,” Zimmer said of Sendejo. “A lot of similarities with the positions, so we’ve had a lot of safeties play nickel in the past.”
Sendejo’s best play in New Orleans came late in the second quarter when he knocked away a Brees pass down the seam that would have gone for roughly 30 yards to wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith. Two plays later, Harris picked off Brees and sparked the Vikings to an eventual halftime lead.
Sendejo deflected any personal praise for his performance.
“We won. That’s all I really care about,” Sendejo said. “Everyone played their [butts] off, and that’s how playoff football is. You have to dig and do whatever you have to do to find a way to win.”
The 32-year-old did say that he had to get used to a different view at the new position.
“It’s a different vantage point than what I’m used to at safety,” Sendejo said. “There’s some plays where I’m down in the box and stuff like that, but a lot of times I’m deep so you can kind of survey and see everything that’s going on.